Does the Bible ban interest? …and so what if it does?

On August 15, 2006, Dr Michael Schluter (former World Bank consultant and founder of Britain’s Relationship Foundation) presented a CASE lecture in which he explored the Bible’s teaching on interest and the relationship between economics and Christianity.

How should we approach understanding what the Bible says about interest? Firstly, it is important to keep in mind taht Christianity is a

In his Acton Lecture, Professor Ian Harper presents a perspective on how the market and Christian theology mesh. Presented by the Centre for Independent Studies.

As a professing Christian and a practising economist, I have often found myself at odds with my co-religionists as well as my professional colleagues. For their part, my Christian brothers and sisters often find it hard to accept that someone who claims to follow the preacher of the Sermon

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Two papers from the 2004 CASE Federal Election Forum are reproduced (in expanded form) here, to stimulate discussion among Christians and to give others some insight into the ways Christian people approach politics (188k PDF).

Elections: why bother? (Andrew Cameron)
There are several reasons why a Christian might feel that elections are not worth bothering with.

• We sometimes feel cynicism about human shortcomings, in comparison to God’s government

What impact is American foreign policy having on worldwide views of Christianity. A bishop to the defence forces explores the mingling of theology and foreign affairs.

Drawing on three recent books about America’s place in the world, Tom Frame considers the complex entanglement of American culture, Christian mission and imperialism.

(See PDF for complete article.)

Files: frame-american-foreign-policy.pdf

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Can theology help economists do their work? Should it? Paul Oslington looks at the question from biblical and historical standpoints.

Over the past century explicit discussion of theology has all but disappeared from economic discourse, while economics has been largely ignored by theologians. This paper argues that this separation is neither desirable nor possible, and calls for a theological economics. The argument is in two parts—a primary

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Would a global security force make the world safe from terrorism? Anglican Bishop to the Defence Force, Dr Tom Frame, examines the legal, political and ethical issues in international policing.

When I was boy growing up in Wollongong, I trusted in the incorruptibility and impartiality of the NSW Police, and in the dignity and integrity of serving officers. I believe that I was justified in doing so. On the several occasions the police were called

In a radical paper examining the Old Testament’s teaching on charging interest, economist Paul Mills suggests that the interest-based economy may be morally bankrupt—and offers a surprising alternative vision drawn from Islamic banking.

Summary
Financial disasters are currently everyday occurrences. Many are attributable to the workings of a debt- and interest-based economy. Rather than argue the case for and against the biblical prohibition of

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